title: Characteristic pancreatic duct appearance in autoimmune chronic pancreatitis: a case report and review of the Japanese literature.
abstract: We report a case demonstrating the progressive narrowing of the pancreatic duct, which is presumed to be characteristic of autoimmune pancreatitis, and we review the 37 cases of chronic pancreatitis in which autoimmunity was suggested as an etiological factor in the Japanese literature. A 55-year-old man presented with abdominal discomfort, jaundice, and diffuse swelling of the pancreas on ultrasonography. Serial endoscopic retrograde pancreatography demonstrated the progression of an irregular narrowing of the main pancreatic duct forming diffusely over the course of 2 months. Because the patient had hyperglobulinemia and tested positive for autoantibodies, he was diagnosed as a case of autoimmune chronic pancreatitis. Steroid therapy was carried out with excellent success.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Asahi, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horiuchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akamatsu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mukawa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Furuya
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ochi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kiyosawa
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011859:Radiography